Testimonials

After years of putting up with our ageing and awkwardly-shaped kitchen we finally decided to take the plunge and seek help. Darren was recommended to us by a painter who had known him for years, so as well as talking to four other companies we got in touch and gave him our initial thoughts.

Out of all of the companies we contacted, Darren was the quickest to respond and produced a suggested layout for the kitchen within a couple of days. In contrast with the others, it was immediately clear that he had understood our requirements perfectly, and his experience shone through with the questions he asked and the suggestions he made. The other thing we noticed immediately was how passionate Darren was about his work.

We then went to see him at his showroom and were amazed at the quality of the displays, one of which was exactly the sort of style and even colour we had been considering, so we asked him for a costed proposal. Predictably we received Darren’s quotation very promptly, and once more he had got everything right, something which in this day and age seems to be incredibly rare.

We therefore placed our order and within a few weeks our dream kitchen was being installed by a group of fitters that share Darren’s incredibly high standards. The whole process went incredibly smoothly and we now have an absolutely stunning kitchen that – on top of everything else – seems twice as large as the old one! To be honest, we had no idea how much pleasure it’s possible to get from a superbly designed, built and fitted kitchen. A few months on and we’re still delighted by it every time we use it.

Darren is one of those very rare people who believes passionately in his work, has the experience and attention to detail to deliver absolutely stunning results, and – to top it all – has a list of tradespeople that meet his exacting standards and can be drafted in as and when required (the ceramic floor tilers being a really great example).

We are completely in love with our new kitchen and have recommended Darren to everyone we know. We have also since commissioned him to design and build some other bespoke woodwork to match the kitchen. It’s been an absolute delight working with Darren – nothing is too much trouble and he does not rest until everything is perfect. What else is there to say?

Nancy Allen
Winchester

If you are after quality and service without compromise, Darren Taylor and his team of kitchen experts are in my opinion, second to none.

Searle and Taylor have created a bespoke design for us that meets our every need. From the very beginning, Darren has gone over and above to ensure that our exact requirements and specifications have been met. He was incredibly open about the risks involved in our kitchen project. During the pandemic, there have been supply chain challenges for most businesses. Darren was totally transparent regarding the risk of delays to Neff appliances and has kept us informed of progress every step of the way.

Unfortunately, we are still waiting for a Neff dishwasher to arrive, but the issues is being well managed and Neff are even paying us compensation as a good will gesture! The situation has been 100% managed by Darren. In the meantime, we have kept our old dishwasher whilst Darren’s fitters plan to return the moment the new machine arrives to complete the job ?

Darren’s choice and recommendation of trades people has been impeccable. Dan and Dougie (kitchen fitters/joiners) and Nick (tiling and electrical) worked together like a well-oiled machine, maintaining progress, and keeping our living spaces safe and tidy.

My wife is in love with her new kitchen space. We particularly love the Quooker tap (for instant boiling water) and the “appliance garage” that houses our toaster and coffee machine. Brilliant!! Thanks Darren, you’ve done an awesome job!

Amazing quality, precision and style are the hallmarks of the Searle and Taylor kitchen we had installed nearly 4 years ago – and it still looks as classy as the day it was installed. The designers and engineers satisfied all our demands, and even the odd quirky whim, with professionalism and quite some patience. We required units to house laundry, pantry, utility store, as well as all white goods, housing for an unsightly boiler, and all drawers necessary for a very busy cooking and baking schedule. It is a big decision to choose a quality kitchen but when every unit, hinge and accessory are of the highest spec, it really is worth every penny.

And we have been hugely impressed with the after-care provided by the Winchester team. Even now, 4 years on, they are prepared to come out to sort out a small realignment of the refuse unit. That is service! We would not hesitate for one moment to recommend Searle & Taylor to anyone wanting a kitchen that meets all contemporary needs.

“The team at Searle & Taylor Kitchens have done a terrific job of designing a kitchen that has maximized and visually expanded the space available for the kitchen in my Victorian terraced house. I chose an ewe kitchen that was manufactured to a high standard in Austria. Unique storage behind sleek handle free doors increases the sense of space and keeps everything readily accessible. The installation was carried out to a very high standard by Dan Munt of DJM BUILDERS. Dan also undertook to refurbish my cloakroom at the same time and called in professional contacts to expedite the plumbing and electrical work in both the kitchen and cloakroom. Once the kitchen was fitted, the countertop was templated and installed within a week so the whole job came together smoothly with the least amount of upheaval and disturbance to myself. Dan returned and attended to the finishing details and Darren Taylor has kept abreast of the job in person and via email and answered any questions I had along the way.

“Four wall cupboards were eliminated in the design to allow the skylight above the sink to fully illuminate the space. Despite losing the four wall cupboards we gained storage by fully fitting the remaining space available above the countertop. The new appliances are all energy efficient, quiet and labour-saving. The usable preparation area either side of the sink has increased, as has the corner to the left of the hob, so a number of people can now work comfortably together in the new kitchen.

“By removing a full size dishwasher and replacing it with a space saving model the hob was able to be centrally located which generated the extra workable space. The new white glass Novy extractor fan sits discreetly within the wall cupboard above the hob. The fan now vents to the outside and has storage in the housing cupboard either side of the fan for my tall pasta jars. An extra shelf in the cupboard where I store glasses and mugs means they aren’t stacked one upon the other and the whole cupboard is utilized. The same goes for the cupboard where I store my tins. All my things have a place in the new kitchen and I have not had to compromise one bit.

“The new dishwasher is conveniently located to the right of the sink, with the drainer above, so the door opens along the free wall and not between the hob and sink as it once did pinching me into a tight corner. The Quooker instant hot water tap has done away with a kettle on the worktop making way for an inset rubbish bin which is very convenient and keeps clutter off the floor.

“During the pandemic I have been Shielding so everyone was respecting social distancing and wore masks as appropriate. It was a tight knit group of professionals who worked together seamlessly and I cannot speak highly enough of the service provided. The new kitchen is convenient, efficient, light and spacious which has made cooking in the new kitchen a pleasure and delight. Just walking into the new space puts a smile on my face and a song in my heart. I would definitely recommend you visit Searle & Taylor Kitchens and allow them to make your dream kitchen a reality.”

Nancy Allen
Winchester

“Now the dust has settled on the installation of our new kitchen I feel compelled to write to you to say how very pleased we are. I feel well qualified, having spent the majority of my working life in the home improvement industry, to say that the quality of your products is exceptional. Well designed, well manufactured, innovative and above all sturdy. Having products of this standard though can be wasted if they are not installed properly, so in my book the quality of the installation is absolutely paramount. In this regard you simply excelled. So a really big thank you to you all…”

Mr & Mrs D. George
Eastleigh

“I just wanted to e-mail you to pass on my sincere thanks for the great job that your company has done in supplying and fitting our new kitchen… The finished kitchen has surpassed our expectations and looks superb. We’ve been particularly impressed by the quality of the build and also with the attention to detail of both the kitchen fitter and also the stone mason who fitted the worktop. I’ve also got to point out what a great job Gavin has done in planning our kitchen, helping us through the whole process and being incredibly flexible and supportive…He has provided exceptionally good customer service and designed an ideal kitchen given the space we have – as such I wanted to bring this to your attention. As a result of the work we’ve had done, we have recommended your company to several of our friends in Twyford who are also having building work done and need a new kitchen.…I’d be grateful if you could pass on my sincere thanks to the whole team, and particularly to Gavin, who has done such a great job. “

Mr. G. Fisher
(by email)

“We are writing to thank you for making our dream kitchen a reality now that it’s completed. After waiting so long for a new kitchen we were concerned about making the right decision in planning the room from scratch but your ideas about what we could do have proved absolutely right for the room and for practical use of the space. We are absolutely delighted with the finished product from the layout your suggested to the quality of the fitting to the quality of the units and we have already received lots of complements on the complete transformation of the room. We were particularly impressed by your personal interest and attention throughout the whole project accommodating changes which we requested. This made us feel that you were committed to ensuring that we were entirely happy with the finished product.I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Searle & Taylor and you in particular to other customers; we have enjoyed truly excellent customer service.”

Mr & Mrs A Moore
Alresford

“…We are delighted with our new kitchen; you really achieved amazing things in creating such a lovely room in such a challenging space. We were really happy with all aspects of the service that Searle & Taylor offered and we would not hesitate to recommend the company to any of our friends and contacts. The planning was efficient and imaginvate. The building of the units completed on time and to a very high standard, and the fitting also carried out with great attention to detail and quality. Everyone that we had dealings with was polite and extremely helpful…. Thank you all so much, you have transformed our house and the result truly exceeded all our expectations.”

Mr & Mrs S. Johnson
Winchester